Posted by Jonathan Cohen DVM on November 30, 2000 at 00:12:03:
In Reply to: Dazed and confused posted by Jason Maki on November 29, 2000 at 20:24:04:
: I worked on a chronic navicular horse last friday. He had been shod with St. Croix eventers with blocks welded to the heels and a rocker toe. The heels had been allowed to overgrow, and bend forward sole pressure and some sole bruising was also present. The medial toe nail on the near front was behind the white line. I broke out an abcess there. The shoes were just under 13 1/2 inches. The feet measured 14 inches after trimming and dressing. The only thing i showed the owner was the abcess, leaving out the cause. I did not want to appear slanderous of the previous job.
: The feet prepped up nice, and I almost acheived the proper hoof pasturn axis with the trim. I the packed an inch of steel into the heels and turned two shoes, thinned the toes, seated them out, pulled the toe clip, shaped, burned, gave them a once over the grinder and nailed them up. Without attempting to be pompous, it was a very tidy job... nice trim, good fit, absolutley no sole pressure. The shoes were punched slightly fine for thin walls, so they nailed up nice. The horses feet lined up. I wrote a bill, made an appointment and drove away feeling as though my exorbatant fee was completley justified.
: Today is wednesday and he is dead lame! He came in from the pasture on saturday lame on the off front and has been ever since. I am going tommorrow afternoon to check the horse out. Does anyone have an idea what might be the problem? I usually have a clue in a case like this. I cannot think of anything \I might have done. If anyone can think of something, please let me now.
: jason Maki
You can always depend on these great creatures to give you a good dose of humble pie just when you think you are the next best thing since sliced bread. Just last week I was thinking about how great things were going and how hard I'd been working. I was explaining in great detail about this complex three hour surgery I'd done previously. I explained how most vets wouldn't even attempt the surgery. I went to show my lecture victim in great detail what few others only dream about. The horse standing there was a convenient lecture tool. I went to point out on the side exactly where the surgery was done.WHAM!!! The nasty old hag kicked me right in the family jewels.
Back to reality. Did you remove too much sole from the bottom in trying to get the angles you wanted. Or, did the abcess seal back up and reoccur?